Clamps



Nov. 18, 1969 R. P. PQWELL 3,479,000

GLAMPS Filed Nov. 24, 1967 INVENTOR. RT P, FOZUELL.

United States Patent O 3,479,000 CLAMPS Robert P. Powell, P.O. Box 281, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33302 Filed Nov. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 685,442 Int. Cl. E04g 17/00; B25b 5/14 U.S. Cl. 249-219 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to clamps for use in the construction of sea-'wall caps.

In the art as it subsisted prior to my invention, it has been customary to provide a cap for a sea-wall of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 3,198,614, issued Aug. 3, 1965, with a cap of concrete running the length of the Wall. As the concrete is poured by conventional methods, forms must be provided. Customarily, these have been put in place by carpenters. If, as is frequently the case, the wall extends a-bove ground, scaffolding may be necessary for the erection of the forms, and they are held in place by supporting means affixed to the wall by nails or bolts with the necessity for the additional operation of removal and patching when the concrete is set and the forms are no longer required.

The object of this invention is to provide means for obviating the carpentry in the erection of the cap forms, and facilitating the ready removal and relocation of the forms at other points in the sequence of construction at the site.

Referrng now to the dra=wing, it shows a sea-wall with a cap 11 in section, and my clamp, shown generally, at 20, partly in side elevation and partly in section. It is to be understood that in the construction of a cap for a sea-wall, a series of clamps are employed at spaced intervals, the linear spacing being determinable from the weight of forms and concrete to be supported during the pouring and setting operation. In a six-inch sea-wall with a cap 16 x 10 inches, I have found it convenient to space the clamps approxrnately four feet from one another.

My clamp consists of a set of arms, 22-32, pivoted at 21, by any means having adequate strength and permitting the separation of the arms through an arc of 180 degrees. Contiguous to the pivot, the arms have angular portions, 23-33, terminating in tubular portions, 24-34, the function of which will hereafter be explained. The clamp member then proceeds to Vertical portions, 25-35, and horizontal portions, 26-36, which are terminated in abutting faces, 27-37, as shown for contact with the sea- Wall. Each of the portions 23-33, 25-35, 26-36, have stifl"- ening webs, 28, and the abutting portions likewise have stiffening webs, 29. v

In using the clamp, a workman can locate it in position 3,479,000 Patentecl Nov. 18, 1969 ICC while standing on the top of the sea-wall, 10, spacing it the required distance below the top of the sea-wall, then 4bringing it into rigid engagement with the sea-'wall through the use of the clamping means 40- which comprises a rod 41, the ends of which are coaxial with the tubular portions 24-34 and exerting clamping force on the sea-wall through the nuts v43-43 on the threaded ends 42-42 of the rod 41. To insure adequate friction between the abutting faces 27-37 and the wall 10, a flexible pad such as used rubber or leather belting, not shown, may be interposed therebetween.

After at least two of the clamps have been properly located, the workman, Operating from the top of the wall, then proceeds to locate a pair of bottom spacers, 53-63 and lower side' spacers, 54-64 upon which he locates a pair of horizontal form timbers 52-62 as shown. The Vertical timbers, 51-61 are then located and held properly spaced from the Vertical portions 25-35 of the clamp by upper side spacers 55-65.

As shown, conventionally, the Vertical center line of the cap is displaced shoreward from the Vertical center line of the wall, which is the reason for the length differential 'between the outer horizontal portion 26 and inner horizontal portion 36.

After the forms are located, the concrete for the cap may be poured, permitted to set, and after it has set, the workman, Operating from the top of the cap, can remove the spacers and form tirnbers for use at other locations and then remove and relocate the clamps for further pouring at another portion of the wall.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. An article of manufacture including, in combination,

a pair of pivoted arms having angular portions,

Vertical portions extending from said angular portions and movable into spaced parallel relationship with one another,

extensions on said Vertical portions comprising horizontal portions in rectangular relationship to said Vertical portions and collinear to but spaced from one another, said extensions terminating in abutting faces, spaced from one another but in parallel relationship when said horizontal extensions are in collinear relationship to one another,

and adjustable means to move the pivoted arms inwardly toward one another to a clamping position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,313,268 8/1919 Cunningham 269-239 2,452,325 10/1948 Rosser 249-219 X FOREIGN PATENTS 144,975 6/ 1920 Great Britain. 233,393 5/1925 Great Britain.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary 'Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

